


Gardening Therapy

by Persiflage



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Canon Disabled Character, F/M, First Time, Future Fic, Gardens & Gardening, Older Man/Younger Woman, POV Phil Coulson, Phil Coulson's New Hand, Post-Series, Project Caterpillars, Prosthesis, Secrets, Skye | Daisy Johnson's Superpowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 18:30:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4190451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Persiflage/pseuds/Persiflage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skye never ceases to surprise Phil Coulson - he likes it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gardening Therapy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zauberer_sirin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zauberer_sirin/gifts), [RowboatCop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RowboatCop/gifts), [Skyepilot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/gifts).



> This fic was inspired by this photo of Chloe gardening that she posted on her Instagram account:  
> https://instagram.com/p/4N16nxF37h/

Coulson looked around curiously, wondering where Skye was. She'd taken over the base he'd built for the people who'd been involved in Project Theta, and it was now the HQ for Project Caterpillars, although there were only a handful of people in permanent residence at present, all of them under the supervision of George (short for Georgina) Koenig, sister of Eric, Billy, and Sam.

Koenig had told him Skye was up on the roof, and knowing Skye's penchant for star-gazing on the roof of the Playground, he'd gone up there, despite the fact it was far too early in the evening for stars to be visible.

"Hey," she said, appearing in his line of sight.

He opened his mouth to answer, then stared, mouth still open, as he took in the sight of her: she was wearing a baggy white jumpsuit and over-large gardening gloves; she was barefoot, and her shoulders and arms were bare, and he realised with a jolt that she was only wearing a bra under the top of the jumpsuit. Her hair was done up in a messy bun, and she had a smudge of dirt on her right cheek. Despite that, he thought she looked gorgeous, and he forced himself to close his mouth, then swallowed heavily, hoping that his jeans would hide his growing arousal.

"Skye." His voice sounded husky, even to his ears, and he caught the strange look she gave him, and swallowed again. "Have you been gardening?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yeah." She gave him a wide smile, then pulled the glove off her right hand and reached for his left hand – the new, replacement hand he'd been given just last week, and which he was still trying to get used to after so many weeks without a hand there. "Come and see." 

Her hand was warm in his and he realised with a start that this was the first time anyone had touched it for any reason other than a medical one. She grinned at him, and squeezed his fingers in hers, as if she knew just what he was thinking – and it honestly wouldn't have surprised him to discover she'd learned how to read his mind – it often seemed to him that Skye was capable of literally anything.

She led him across the rooftop to the far side where a long wooden trellis had been set up, dividing off a separate area. She led him around the end of the trellis and he stopped dead in astonishment at the sight of a large patch of turf, and a number of large planters holding flowering shrubs, and small trees that were scattered around the edges of the area.

When he could finally tear his eyes away he looked at Skye and found her watching him intently; a small smile was curving the corners of her mouth, and there was such a look in her eyes, he was tempted to call it loving, but he told himself he was being silly.

"You like it, then," she said, and he swallowed heavily, then nodded.

"It's beautiful," he told her, although he was still gazing at her, and he saw a faint flush of colour on her cheeks.

"It's not finished yet," she told him. "I thought you might like to help though, while you're here." She tilted her head to one side. "Thought it might be a different kinda physical therapy for you – more fun, maybe."

He felt a surge of emotion welling up and did his best to keep his expression relatively neutral, but her eyes went wide and she carefully tugged him towards her, then slid her arms around him.

"Okay?" she asked softly, looking so concerned that he felt a prickle of tears at the back of his eyes.

"Yeah," he breathed, slipping both his arms around her. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" she asked, looking a bit bemused.

"Know what I'm thinking or feeling."

"Oh." He saw a flush darkening her cheeks and wondered why she'd be embarrassed. "Sorry about that. It's just – you know I can read the vibrations in things, right?" He nodded, somewhat puzzled. "Well I can read people's vibrations too. Means I know when people are happy or sad, worried or angry, or whatever. It's not something I can control, I'm afraid."

He gave her a startled look. "How accurate are your readings?"

She bit her bottom lip before she answered. "The better I know someone, the easier I can read their mood or feelings. So – uh – pretty accurate where you're concerned." 

She started to pull away, but he tightened his arms around her, keeping her close. "I don't mind," he whispered, hoping she would feel that he meant it. "And I bet it can be handy when you're doing the Welcome Wagon stuff."

"Yeah." There was a pause, and then she asked, "So you don't find the idea – " She broke off and he pulled back just far enough to look at her properly.

"What?"

"Repulsive, or intrusive, or whatever?"

"I might if it was someone else," he told her honestly, "but as it's you? No, I don't mind, Skye."

She sighed, then tucked her face against the side of his neck and he inhaled slowly, breathing in the scent of her: citrus shampoo and sun-warmed skin.

"So, you wanna do some gardening, AC?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah." He pulled back from her slowly, then started to roll up his shirtsleeves, once again relishing the fact that he could do this for himself now.

Once he'd done that, Skye led him over to the corner of the roof where a handful of succulents were lined up in pots, with a group of larger pots beside them.

"These need re-potting," she told him, gesturing at the succulents. "If you don't mind getting your hands dirty." She threw him a teasing smile, and he smiled back, thinking that it had been a long time since they'd flirted with each other.

"I don't mind," he assured her, and she grinned more widely, then directed him to where the bag of compost was located, and they set to work.

Coulson couldn't help relishing the sensations as his fingers worked the potting compost into the larger pots, or brushed over the flesh of the succulents – everything felt new and different, and rather sensual. And when Skye's hand brushed against his as they both reached for more potting compost at the same time, it was as if a surge of electricity had passed between her hand and his.

He tried not to dwell on it too much, tried to concentrate, instead, on the conversation they were having about Skye's most recent Welcome Wagon visits, and then a discussion about his still-awkward meetings with the Council that oversaw SHIELD these days.

"I take it they still aren't your biggest fans?" she asked.

He snorted. "And never will be," he said ruefully.

She clicked her tongue. "I felt sure you'd have won them over by now, you with your Charm School ways."

He chuckled, and she grinned at him. "You're my one and only fan," he told her. "Even May's not so fond of me these days."

"She'll come around," Skye told him confidently. 

"How do you know?" he asked, surprised.

She gave a half shrug, her right shoulder rising to brush her ear. "I can feel it."

He shook his head, not denying it, just amazed, all over again, by Skye and her general Skye-ness.

"I think we're done here," she said, sounding satisfied, and got to her feet. She held out a hand to Coulson, and he took it, allowing her to help him up, his knees feeling a little stiff. She tugged him close and hugged him again. "Thanks for your help."

"Thanks for asking me to help," he said. "I enjoyed it."

"Good." She gave him a peck on the cheek, a brief brush of her soft lips against his skin, and he tried not to shudder in response. "I dunno about you, but I need a shower now. Are you rushing back?"

He shook his head. "I don't have to be back until tomorrow afternoon."

"Good." She smiled widely at him, then tugged on his arm, and he followed her back across the rooftop, then down into the building. They met Koenig on the way, and Skye told her that Coulson was staying to dinner, and overnight.

"I anticipated that the Director would be staying, Agent Johnson," Koenig said with a smile. "I've assigned him the bunk next to yours."

"Thanks George."

Koenig nodded, then walked on, and Skye turned to Coulson; he wasn't sure what expression was on his face, but she gave him a puzzled look. "What?"

"Agent Johnson?" he asked, feeling quite moved on Cal's behalf.

She gave a quick shrug. "You wanted this Project kept quiet," she said, "and it seemed to me that if I used a different name, then the Council might not figure out my involvement." 

"It's a good decision," he agreed. "Especially since you're known to everyone at the Playground as Skye."

She nodded. "That's what I figured, and with Cal gone – " She bit her lip, and he slid his hand down her back in a gesture of support.

"He'd be very proud, if he knew," he told her, and she gave him a watery sort of smile.

"Thanks."

AC-S-AC-S-AC

Forty five minutes later, they had both showered and, in Skye's case, changed, and they met in a small meeting room that was currently serving duty as a dining room since there weren't the hundred plus agents in residence there'd been while Project Theta was active. Skye introduced him to the handful of Gifted people living here, and the four other agents, besides George Koenig, who looked after the Gifteds, then she led the way to a corner table.

"They seem fairly relaxed," he observed as they took their seats.

"Yeah. Erica's finally calmed down – I think Alesha has helped a good deal. I'm lucky my first Gifted recruit was an empathic Inhuman, really."

He nodded, and they talked a bit about the Gifteds while they ate their meal, and Coulson found himself admiring Skye all over again: she had such a gift (no pun intended) with people, a real knack for putting them at ease, and making them feel safe around her – which was a bit ironic, considering most people's initial reactions to the revelation of Skye's powers. He was glad to see she was thriving at this work, and while he missed seeing her daily at the Playground, he couldn't deny that she was good at what she did here, and that the work suited her.

"Do you think you'll be able to get away for a couple of days?" he asked as they took their empty plates over to the serving hatch for whoever was on kitchen duty tonight to deal with.

"I should think so, why? Do you need me?"

He bit back the word 'Always' that leapt to his tongue, and nodded instead as he followed her out of the dining room and along a corridor.

"Yeah, there's an op coming up, and I could use you and your computer skills for it."

She grinned widely at this. "Hacker Skye, eh? That'll be a nice change of pace."

He chuckled. "I hoped you'd like the idea."

"I can come back with you tomorrow, if you like."

"I would like," he said, then wondered if he sounded a bit too eager, but Skye didn't comment. She just nodded, then pushed open a door, and he realised with surprise that she'd brought him to her bunk.

"I thought you had an office here," he said, pausing on the threshold.

"I do. But I had enough of sitting in the office earlier – the chairs in here are much comfier, trust me."

He swallowed hard, then followed her inside, looking around and taking in the layout of the room: there was a queen bed over against the far wall, and opposite a bookcase that was currently only half full. To the right of the door was a round table, and two very comfortable looking armchairs in the corner, and he realised they were angled so the occupants could watch the large plasma screen that was in the corner above the bookcase. She gestured him to a chair, then offered him coffee, moving across to a coffee maker that stood to the left of the bookcase when he agreed.

He sat down and took a closer look around the room, noticing little touches here and there that made him think of both Cal and Jiaying: there were a number of small animal figures along the front of one of the higher bookshelves, while above the head of Skye's bed there was a red wall hanging painted with Chinese characters, and he wondered what it said. The rug in front of her bed was also Chinese, to judge from the style and design, and he could see a stuffed cat toy perched atop the pillows on her bed.

She brought the mugs of coffee over and he smiled when she set them down on coasters that rested on the table, even as he noticed that they, too, featured Chinese characters.

"Thanks." He pulled his mug closer, then nodded at the room. "This looks much cosier than your bunk back at the Playground."

"I spend more time here than there, these days," she said, and he nodded his understanding.

"Oh yeah, I got this last weekend." She got up and moved over to the bookcase, and he saw her pull out a record player just like the one he had in his office back at the Playground. He got up and went to stand beside her, looking down at it curiously. "I was really lucky, it was marked down because the shop owner said no one's interested in playing vinyl these days."

"It's a beauty," he observed, running the fingers of his left hand over the case. "It's in better condition than mine."

"Yeah. Apparently it belonged to an older lady who'd had it for decades – according to the shop owner she 'couldn't be doing with them shiny disc thingies'."

Coulson chuckled. "She had good taste," he said, "and I'm sure she'd be proud to know you've given it a good home." 

"Want to pick something to play?" Skye asked, and pulled out a handful of LPs. "I don't have many yet, obviously, but I think you like all of these."

He took them from her, and couldn't help smiling at the sight of two Bill Withers albums, a Motown one, Sarah Vaughn, and something classical by the LA Phil.

"Let's listen to Bill," he suggested, passing her one of the LPs, before returning the others to the shelf she'd taken them from.

She grinned, then set the record on the deck, and placed the needle gently onto the record. After a moment Bill's voice rang out, singing 'Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone', and he was startled to realise how true that felt.

Skye surprised him by sliding her arms around him, and he gladly wrapped his own around her, then began swaying them in time to the music.

He thought he was imagining things when her lips brushed under his ear, but then they began to move along his jaw, and he moaned softly, feeling himself hardening in response.

"Skye."

"Phil." Her lips reached his mouth and she pulled back to look him in the eyes, and he leaned in, his mouth eager to make contact with hers. They kissed softly at first, until Skye ran her hands down his back to cup his ass, causing him to moan more loudly.

"Is this okay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Better than," he murmured back, then slid his teeth lightly down her throat. She bucked her hips forward in response, her hands shifting to grasp his hips and pull his body more firmly against hers.

"Phil." She moaned his name as he cupped her ass with his left hand, while his right dropped down between their bodies, then slipped under her short red dress (the one she'd worn the day he'd first given her a ride in Lola, he recalled) to touch her over her panties.

"Is _this_ okay?" he asked. He felt fairly sure she'd have objected already if it wasn't – hell, she could quake him onto his ass and out the door, if she really disapproved.

"No," she said. "I want more."

He chuckled softly. "What more?"

She pressed her body more tightly against his. "Everything," she whispered by his ear, then nipped it between her teeth, and he couldn't help thrusting his own hips forward in response.

"I didn't know," he started, then groaned when Skye's hand reached between their bodies to cup his erection through his jeans.

"I know you didn't," she said, "but I've known for weeks how you feel about me. You're just lucky I'm the only one who can read your vibrations, cause you've been broadcasting your desire loud and clear."

He pulled back at that, looking at her in some surprise. "You didn't say anything."

She shook her head. "I wanted to think about it," she said, and he realised that made sense. "I've loved you pretty much from the start, Phil, but I never thought an intimate relationship with you would be a possibility – not even after you got rid of Levels. Of course, you were doing your best to keep me at arm's length all last winter while you were carving, so I reckoned that it probably wouldn't ever be a possibility."

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's okay. I understand why you felt you had to do it. And it's all water under the bridge now. But, see, until I got these powers and learned how to use 'em, I had no idea that you felt sexually attracted to me. I mean, I knew you cared about me – you'd made that more than obvious, especially when you went after the GH drug for me, but I thought it was more paternal, and I didn't want a father, and I didn't see you as one, anyway." She kissed him, quick and dirty, then leaned back in his arms. "But you can't hide your feelings for me from me, not any more. You might be able to hide this – " She slid her hand down the length of his hard cock "more or less, but you can't hide the surges of arousal that come over you."

She pulled away from him, then grabbed his hand and led him across the room to the bed, pushing him to sit down.

"Why now, if you've known all this time?" he asked curiously.

"I wanted to be sure that this – " she tapped the back of his new hand "wasn't gonna be an issue. I was worried that I'd be taking advantage of you if I made any kinda move while you were still missing your hand." She knelt beside him, her knees pressing against his thigh. "I know how close you were to depression, Phil, and that meant you were too vulnerable. I wanted to be sure you were in the right place emotionally – and that I was too."

He wrapped his arms around her, remembering how depressed she had seemed to him in the first few weeks after losing both her mother and her father (the fact that Cal was still alive was only a small consolation to her, since he couldn't remember who Skye was).

"Does this mean I won't need the bunk next door?" he asked.

She chuckled. "I think you might not," she said.

"Good." He grabbed her and toppled them both to sprawl across the bed, eliciting giggles from Skye. 

He hadn't expected this – not having Skye's powers, he had no idea she was sexually attracted to him – but he was damned sure he wasn't going to waste any more time now that he knew she felt the same way about him.

"Don't plan on getting much sleep tonight," he whispered in her ear, then nipped at it, before beginning to place butterfly kisses along her jaw.

She chuckled, then gasped when he slid his hand up under her dress to begin touching her. It was going to be a long night, he thought, but very pleasurable.


End file.
